John mcqijeen and william h



(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 24, 1885.

UNITED Smarts PATENT @rrrca.

JOHN MCQUEEN AND \VILLIAM H. OARMONT, OF MANCHESTER, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

VEHICLE-BODY.

.BPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 330,996, dated November 2%, 1885.

Application filed April8, 1885. Serial No. 161,539. (No model.) Patented in England June 14, 1884, No. 8,956.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN MoQUEnN and WILLIAM HASSALWOOD CARMONT, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and

both residing at Manchester, county of Lancaster, England, engineers, have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of Road-Vehicles, (for which we have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 8,956, dated June 14, 1884,) of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the construction of the bodies of cabs, broughams, and other road carriages and vehicles and of railway carriages i 5 and vehicles, and has for its object to obtain a combination of lightness with strength and durability.

We make the skeleton frame of a cab or carriage of light steel bars, which are rolled,

2o pressed, orshapedintoachannel form. Atthe points of connection of two or more members of the frame we apply steel knees or plates, which are punched, sheared, or pressed into the required forms, or are otherwise suitably produced. Theseknees havefingers, which extend some distance along the channels of the members to be connected, and'are formed at such angles with one another as may be suit-able for the special application of each knee, so that one knee may serve to connect together two or more members in a side frame, and also in some cases a cross-bearer or more than one cross-bearer that is to say, all the intersecting members of the frame; The sides of the channel-bars are 3 5 hammered or pressed in upon or over the edges of the fingers, so as to grip the same, and the parts are further secured with rivets. In some cases we use a special form of channel-steel.

To facilitate the attachment of the covering 40 and upholstering material and the completion ofthe vehicle, we secure wood within the channels in the members of the frame.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of the frame of a 5 hansom-cab. Figs. 2and3illustrate the formation of one of the joints in the frame. Fig. 4 shows how the wood is fixed.

In Fig. 1, a a are the channel-steel members of the frame, and b b are the knees, which connect together the several parts so as to form a complete skeleton frame. One of the points of connection is represented about the full size in Figs. 2 and The knees b are, by preference, made of steel, and are of various forms, according to the angles or curves and number of the members to be connected together. Taking, for example, the knee b, the one knee serves to connect the members 1, 2, and 3 of the side frame, and also a cross-bar, which is secured to the framing on the side of the body, which is not seen in the drawings. In a corresponding manner other of the knees connect together not only intersecting members of the side frame, but also connect the ends of crossbars with the side frames, so that the whole of 6 the parts of the skeleton frame are secured together. The knees are formed with fingers or parts which are inclined with respect to each other at such angles as are suitable for the particular part of the frame at which the knee is intended to be applied, and these fingers or parts are preferably beveled at the edges, as shown in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In some cases we roll or press the channelbars into a special form, the channel being made wider at the bottom than at the top, as

in the section in Fig. 3. In some cases, when using this special form of bar, the fingers can be slid or forced endwise into the channels, but in other cases it is necessary to open out so or widen the top of the channel to admit of the knec as, for example, referring to Fig.

2, the part 1 could be pushed endwise into the channel; but a portion of the channel in a would have to be widened to admit the part 2 of the knee, in consequence of the connection with a being effected at a point between its two endsthat is to say, it is a side connection. For the same reason, a portion of the side of the channelwould have to be cut away or removed to admit the part 1.

In practice we heat the members a of the frame at the points of attachment, to expand the channel and to facilitate the introduction into position of the knees. \Vhen the parts 5 are in their proper position, we press or hammer down or close up the edges of the channel while they are hot, so as to make them fit closely upon the knee and tightly grip the same. The contraction of the parts or upon the knee increases the security of the joint.

When using bars having the channel as Wide or wider at the top than at the bottom, we hammer or press in the sides of the channel at the points ofattachment to make them fit the knees. In some cases, and especially when we do not bevel the edges of the fingers on the knees, we hammer or press the upper edges of the channel over and down upon the said fingers. To still further secure the joint, we rivet the parts togetherin the manner'indicated in Fig. 1, or in a suitable manner; but in some cases, or, if not considered to be necessary, this riveting may be dispensed with. It will be seen that by the same means any uprights or connecting or stiffening struts or brackets may be secured to and be made to form part of the frame. \rVhenever conveniently possible, the continuity of a member is preserved by bending the member into the required form, as in the case of the bend at c in Fig. 1.

To facilitate the attachment of the covering and upholstering material and the completion of the vehicle, we secure wood within the channels in the members of the frame. The strips of wood are beveled at the sides and inserted in the channels. The sides of the channels are then hammered or pressed inward, so as to tightly grip the wood, as indicated in Fig. 4, wherein d represents the wood filling.

In the cases wherein we use the special section of channel-bars, having the bottom of the channel wider than the top, the wood strips may be inserted endwise into the channels before the members are secured together. 1

Although weprefer to use mild steel inthe formation of the frames, as we thereby obtain strength with lightness, we do not confine ourselves to any particular metal or quality of metal.

That we claim is 1. A carriage or vehicle frame, composed,

principally, of channel-bars connected together by means of metal knees, whichj'are formed with fingers or limbs, which are clamped and secured within the channels in the bars, to connect together the intersecting parts of the frame, substantially as set forth and indicated.

3. In the construction of a body-frameof a' vehicle, the channel steel or metal having the channel-sides inclining inward, to grip theconnecting plates or knees and the wood filling, substantially as set forth and indicated.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MCQUEEN. w. H. OAR-MONT.

Witn esses DAVID FULTON, ARTHUR LEDGER. 

